Reflections from Dorothy (Dot) Lilja
Outside of his long career in public accounting, John loved choral singing and sang in the Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church choir for many years. He especially appreciated those opportunities to sing in combined choirs or at special choral events. The Mac Concert Choir was great preparation. When John wasn’t singing, he was listening to the MPR classical station. If he hadn’t been an accountant, he would have been a music leader.
In his accounting career, John was nationally recognized as an expert in fund accounting for government and not-for-profit organizations. His business degree from Mac and the Mac Jr. Chamber of Commerce prepped him well. He taught night courses at area junior colleges and offered lots of continuing education classes and seminars for Deloitte and Touche around the country. His skills from WBOM came in handy.
John was honored to serve four years as Minnesota Deputy State Auditor in the 1970s. He even had government experience as publications secretary in Mac Student Government! Three years before his death in 1992 from lung cancer, he was pleased to join the staff at the Minnesota Historical Society to handle their finance and administration as the new History Center was being completed. He was also committed to military service and served in the Mediterranean as a Supply Corps Officer and later in the US Naval Reserves. “J.B.” also represented Mac for many years as the 1956 class agent for the Annual Alumni Fund and kept in touch with many classmates through the years. In 1993, a scholarship was established as a memorial to John by the Minnesota Chapter of the Government Finance Officers Association.
Attending the University of Minnesota, where he earned a master's degree in accounting, John met and married Dot in 1964. Their two children, Emily and John Jr., have given Dot three grandchildren. John was raised in Monticello, Minn., but graduated from high school in Mapleton, Minn. He was respected for his integrity, his professionalism and his sense of responsibility. The continuing friendship of several Macalester roommates meant a lot to him and his family over these 50 years. He has been greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.
I plan to attend the Class of '56 50-Year Reunion.